Capping mechanism



J. J. GAYNOR.

CAPPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION-FILED 050.215.1917.

' Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

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CAPPING MECHANISM.

APPLlCATlON FILED DEC.26. 1917.

1 ,350/105. I PatentedAug.24,1920.

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x gmu q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. GAYNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ARROW BOTTLERS MACHIN- ERY COMPANY, TRUSTEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CAIPPING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 24, 1920.

Application filed December 26, 1917. Serial No. 208,824.

. To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN J. GAYNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Capping Mechanisms, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in capping mechanisms, and has particular reference to mechanism designed to apply what are known as crown caps or seals to the tops of containers, such as may be used for beer and other liquids. The invention in some respects may be considered a modification of an invention set forth in a co-pending application, Serial No. 208,825, filed contemporaneously with this application.

The principal object of the invention is to provide capping mechanism embodying the features-set forth in the said co-pending application and which shall be capable of being arranged for automatic operation. Further objects of the invention are to provide a continuously traveling mechanism of the class described; to provide cap-positioning mechanism suitable for use in connection with existing forms of cap-feeding devices; to provide mechanism of the class described having efficient and practical safeguards 80 against accidental derangement, which might otherwise occur in the event of failure of the bottle-feed, or for other causes.

In the drawings, which illustrate the application of my invention to a bottle-capping machine of the continuous rotary Figure 1 isan elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing certain parts, in section Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in slightly different positions;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the Eppgr elements contained within the capping Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a lower element mating with the element shown in 50 Fig. 5; v

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a magnet for positioning the bottle-cap in the head;

Fig. 8 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing the positions of the parts subsequent to the descent by gravity of the capping head.

Referring to the drawings, 20 represents the main frame casting of the machine upon which the various movable parts of the mechanism are supported. Said main frame casting 20 has a lower table or platform 21, and below said platform 21 is a bracket bearing 22 suitably bushed to receive a vertical revoluble shaft 23. Keyed to said shaft 23 is a large bevel gear 24 which is driven by a bevel pinion 25 keyed to the end ofa constantly running shaft 26 also journaled in the frame of the machine and driven continuously from a suitable source of power. The casting 20 also has an upper extension 27 on the upper end'o-f which is suitably mounted a fixed horizontally extending bracket 28 in which the upper end of the vertical shaft 23 is arranged to revolve.

Fixed to and constituting a part of the stationary frame of the machine, I also provide an annular frame part 29 which, together with the bracket 28, constitutes a support for the cap-feeding mechanism 30 with its feedchute 31. Said cap-feeding mechanism 30 is of a type well known to those skilled in the art and is driven from the vertical shaft 23 by means of a round belt 32. The caps are fed to the hopper 33 in bulk and are automatically delivered to the feed-chute 31 in the proper position so that they emerge from and are presented by the lower'end of said chute in the proper position for applying to a bottle, and in the manner best shown in Fig. 8. The continuous bottle-feeding mechanism, which may be of the usual star-wheel type and need not be illustrated since it is well known to those skilled in the art, may be driven by a series of gear teeth 34 on the end of the bevel gear 24: and which engage corresponding teeth on a spur gear 35 pinned to the vertical bottle-feed shaft 36. The bot- 'tles, when fed into the machine by the bottlefe'eding mechanism, are delivered one at a time onto/the table 37, which is keyed to and rotates with the continuously revolving shaft 23. After being so positioned, the neck and body ofthe bottle are positioned by upper and lower star-shaped gage disks 38 and 39. At each bottle-receiving position, the top of the rotary table 37 is faced with a'disk 40 of hard rubber designed to slightly cushion the blow delivered to the bottle by the gravity-actuated capping head,

The gravity-actuated capping heads, each of which is constructed with an upper end 41 and a lower end 42, are supported to slide vertically in an upper guide 43 and a lower guide 44, said guides being formed as integral parts of a spool-shaped casting 45 suitably keyed to the constantly rotating vertical shaft 23. The vertical position of the capping heads in the said guides 43 and 44 is controlled by means of a stationary cam track 46 secured to the top of the annular frame part 29 and upon which roll the trolley wheels 47 mounted to revolve on pins 48 secured in the sides of intermediate portions 49 of the capping heads. The said cam track 46 is arranged with a drop 01f jog or step 50 arranged to permit a free falling movement of the capping heads as the rollers, one by one, run off the edge of said step. The said cam'track 46 is of course arranged with a uniformly ascending inclined portion 51 which elevates the capping heads into normal raised position during approximately one-half of a complete revolution of the shaft 23.

Describing the details of the lower part 42 of the capping head, the under side of the latter is drilled out axially and cylindrically, as shown best in Figs. 8 and 9, to receive a punch element 52 having an Qupper shank part'53 sliding in the reduced bore 54, and a lower punch portion 55 arranged to enter the annular die cage 56. Within the cage 56 there is fixed an annular ring die 57, the interior of which is suitably tapered, as shown. The lower extension surface of the die cage 56 is preferably threaded, as shown at 58 to receive the ,upper end of a lower annular containing thimble or cap 59.

Interposed between the bottom of the cap 59 and the die ring 57, I insert a permanent steel magnet 60, the inner periphery 61 of which is concentric with and of' slightly greater radius than the lower end of the throat of the ring die 57 The difference in the radii of said parts is such that when a cap 62 is introduced through the side slot 63, the said cap is held by the magnet in such position that the center of the cap coincides with the axis of the ring die 57. The slot 63, the shape of which in plan is indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, is formed by cutting away the lower end of the cage 56 and slotting the parts 59 and42. The caps are introducd, one a at a time, through said slot 63 which forms a continuation of the cap-feed chute 31, the end of the latter projecting into the outer end of said slot 63. It will be observed that the outer end of the said slot 63 is deepened by cutting away the metal of the parts 42 and 59 in order to bring the bottom of the chute and the top of the inner end of the slot The particular manner in which the cap '63 substantially of the same height, thereby and 59 in the head 42 is prevented by means of a set screw 64, and vertical movement of said parts is prevented by means of an annular clamping ring .65 screwed into the lower face of the head 42.

I Describing the operation of the bottlecapping mechanism, it is understood that the bottles are delivered, one by one, to the rotating table 37 and positioned in the throats of the guides 38 and 39, while the caps are delivered in a single stream down through the chute 31. As each of the bottle-capping heads 42 passes the chute 31, the said head being then of course in raised position, due to its roller 47 being on the raised part of the track 46, the slot 63 registers with the chute 31, thus permitting entrance of a bottle-cap when the mouth of said slot 63 comes opposite the mouth of the chute It should be noted that the caps are prevented from dropping out of the end of the chute 90 31 in between the capping heads by reason of intermediate portions 66 of the spider 44, which is turned off concentric with the shaft 33. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the manner in which a cap enters the. capping head from 95 the chute 31, Fig. 3 showing the cap in the act of entering the head, andFig. 4 showing the cap after it has been snapped back and held in position by the permanent 'magnet 60.

is applied to and crimped over the mouth of the bottle by means of the gravityactuated capping head is the same as described in my co-pendingapplication above referred to, and therefore needs no description.

In the particular machine illustrated herein, I prefer to employ a safety mechanism for preventing the descent of a capping head in the event of failure of the bottle-feeding mechanism. Accordingly, associated with each capping head I mount a lever 67 which is pivoted on a vertical pin'68 secured in the upper flange 69 of the spider 44. The inner end of said lever 68 is arranged to engage in 115 a small horizontal guide 70 milled in the side of'the capping head 42, and is normally pressed into such engagement by means of a small coil tension spring 71. Under ordinary circumstances, and when the capping 120 head is ready to descend, the large lever 67 is forced out of engagement with the groove 70 by reason of the outer end of said lever 67 engaging against the inner end of a T- stances, resisted by the arm engaging and forcing outwardly the depending arm 76 of said T-shaped lever 72. The arm 75 is rigidly secured to a vertical shaft 77 rotatably mounted in fixed bearings 78 and 79 secured to the frame of the machine,-and the lower end of said shaft 77 has also secured thereto a lower arm 80 the end of which is arranged to be engaged by the bodies of the bottles as they pass said arm.

When the machine is properly supplied with bottles, each bottle as it passes the caping position, engages the arm 80, turning the shaft 77 and forcing the arm' 75 outwardly, thus causing the T-shaped lever 72 to assume the position shown in Fig. 1, with the inner arm of said lever in the path of the large lever 67. Said large lever 67 is thus rotated against the influence of the spring 71 and the capping head is allowed to fall when the roller drops off the step 50 of the cam track. Obviously, if for any reason a bottle is missing, the arm 80 is not rotated and the weight 74 is effective to hold the inner end of the T-shaped lever 72 out of the path of movement of the lever 67, which consequently is not tripped and the capping head is not permitted to fall.

The preceding detailed description must not be construed as any limitation upon the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a machine of the class described, the

' combination of a capping head body, crimping means carried by said body and symmetrically arranged around the axis thereof, and a cap-feed chute and magnetic means positioned on opposite-sides of the axis of said body.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a traveling capping headbody, a crimping device mounted in said body and symmetrically arranged around the axis thereof, and a cap-feed chute and'a magnet disposed on opposite sides of the path of movement of said axis.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a carrier rotating about a vertical axis, a capping head mounted with its axis vertical in said carrier and provided with crimping mechanism symmetrically arranged around the axis of said head, and a magnet disposed substantially within the orbit of said head, and a feed-chute arranged to deliver caps toward said magnet and substantially located outside of said orbit.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a carrier rotating about a vertical axis, a capping head mounted with its axis vertical in said carrier and provided with crimping mechanism symmetrically arranged around the axis of said head, a magnet disposed substantially within the orbit of said head, a feed-chute arranged to deliver caps toward said magnet and substantially located outside of said orbit, and means for preventing delivery of caps except when said magnet arrives in register with said chute.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an axially vertical capping head-body traveling around a vertical axis,

a ring die mounted concentrically in said body, a magnet located substantially within the orbit of said body and'extending below said ring die, and a cap-feed chute located substantially outside the orbit of said body and arranged to deliver caps toward said magnet and beneath said die.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an axially vertical capping head-body traveling around a vertical axis, a ring die mounted concentrically in said body, a magnet located substantially within the orbit of said body and extending below said ring die, and a cap-feed chute located substantially outside the orbit of said body and arranged to deliver caps toward said magnet and beneath said die, said body being suitably apertured to admit the delivery end of said chute.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an axially vertical capping head body traveling around a vertical axis, a ring die mounted concentrically in said body, a horse-shoe magnet embracing the mouth of said die, and a cap-feed chute located substantially outside the orbit of said body and arranged "to deliver caps toward said magnet and beneath said die.

8. In a machine of the class described, the V combination of a bottle support, a die for securing a cap on to a bottle carried by the bottle support, bottle cap feeding means, and a magnetized socket in front of the die for withdrawing a bottle cap from the feeding means and locating said cap in front of the die so as to be secured by the die on to the bottle.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a relatively movable bottle support and bottle capping mechanism, the latter comprising an apertured support for a bottle cap, a die spaced from the apertured support and adapted to clamp the bottle cap on to the mouth of a bottle, a guide for directing bottle caps into the space between the apertured cap support and the die, and a magnet adjacent said spacefor withdrawing bottle caps from the guide and holding said caps in a predetermined position between the apertured support and the die.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a correspondingly rotatable bottle support and plunger supporting frame, bottle cap feeding means adjacent said frame, a plurality of plungers mounted on said frame to reciprocate to and from the bottle support and adapted to be moved by rotation of the frame successively past the outlet of the bottle cap feeding means, means on each plunger comprising a die and a passageway for admitting a bottle cap from the feeding means to a position in front of the die, a magnet for extracting a bottle cap through said passageway from the feeding means and locating said cap in front of the die, and means for obstructing the passage of bottle caps from the feeding means when the passageway of a plunger is moved away from the outlet from the bottle cap feeding means.

JOHN J. GAYNOR. 

